The present invention relates to a magnetic head slider for achieving high recording density in a magnetic disk drive and a magnetic head assembly for supporting the magnetic head slider by a suspension and, more particularly, to a magnetic head slider and a magnetic head assembly with a reduced influence of crosstalk or the like between write element wiring and read element wiring.
A spin valve element utilizing a giant magnetoresistive effect (abbreviated as “a GMR”) has been put to practical use as a read element in a magnetic disk drive. Read-sensitivity has been enhanced with improved recording density. However, this has caused a problem of electrostatic damage (ESD) during a fabrication process. The electrostatic damage such as a waveform fluctuation or an increase in noise in addition to an electrical breakdown or fusion raises a serious problem from the viewpoint of not only the head yield but also reliability. Measures against the electrostatic damage have been proposed such as a method for shorting a circuit between lead terminals in a GMR head on a suspension to thus open the circuit before completion of assembly, a method for inserting resistance between lead terminals in a GMR head to thus shunt a current, and the like.
However, the above-described measures cannot produce any effect with respect to an influence of crosstalk on a transmission line after the fabrication process. That is to say, it is necessary to reduce the influence of crosstalk from a write signal through the wiring on a suspension according to a decrease in ESD withstand voltage in the GMR head. Patent document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2002-93093) discloses a ground (abbreviated as “GND”) pattern or a power source voltage (Vcc) pattern is interposed between first and second adjacent lead conductor patterns serving as wiring members on a suspension in order to prevent any variation in characteristics or breakage of a read head element even in the case of use of a write current having abrupt rise and fall.